Deck Maintenance Tips

1. Check for surface damage. Look for signs of stress, like excessive curling, cracking, or rotting in the boards that make up the surface of your deck. Replace any questionable planks with new wood that matches the existing deck. Inspect all the nails, screws and/or bolts that hold your deck together. Tighten screws that have worked loose and re-drive any nails that are not slightly lower than the surface.

2. Check for structural damage. Look for any signs of animal or insect damage, such as chewed wood, holes or brittle areas. If you find any signs of insects or insect damage, you may want to schedule a visit from a pest-control expert. If the damage appears to be animal-related, consider adding lattice or some type of barrier around the edges to keep critters out.

3. Clean the deck. Dirt, algae, moss and smog can discolor a deck and keep sealers from working effectively. Even newly built decks should be cleaned prior to treatment to remove mill glaze or excess wax, which will affect a sealer’s ability to penetrate the wood. Use a reformulated deck cleaner or oxygen bleach and a stiff brush to scrub the surface. Be sure to loosen any debris that has built up between the planks. You may need to consider using a power washer for more difficult stains. Let the washed deck dry for 24 hours before applying a sealer.

4. Seal the deck. No finish, even pressure-treated wood, is weatherproof. No sealer lasts a lifetime either. Until recently, experts recommended sealing decks yearly. With advances in finishes, treatment time now varies; check the manufacturer’s instructions.